"stark nachgeschnitten" - anyone speak German?

I found most Germans can speak English well enough, but they seem reserved with it and tried to make me speak German instead.

 

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Agreed. Hence, me learning pleasantries, stumbling like hell, and then they feel they HAVE to speak English just to tell me to shut up! LOL

 

... whereas in the Netherlands, even if you try and speak a little Dutch, most people will immediately switch to English, maybe German. I don't really like that, but oh well, it somehow works.

Christian

 

I found this to be relatively true in Belgium as well. At least in Flanders but maybe not so much in Wallonia. While in France, I nearly couldn't find anyone willing to speak English in Paris, but in the rest of the country they would quickly switch to English when necessary.

 

My experience regarding language abilities in Europe is pretty much the same as Bing's:
Having lived in the U.K, Belgium and Germany, and worked for 35 years across all EU countries, I will resolutely say that the most language-adept people are the Dutch, and specially the dutch-speaking Belgians. In addition to their native durch (Flemish), many master quite well German and French.

Now, as for the least language-adept people in Europe....

 

Do the Brits still count as Europeans...?

 

Next time you visit Germany, stay away from the rednecks and meet some educated people...

 

Thank God for Christian........

 

Nope.....Outlanders......

 

And I'm an outlander too, being a 'Yank'.